A general web search brought him to the Volunteer New York! website. There he found volunteer opportunities at a soup kitchen, just a short walk from his home.

Jose Vega(Photo: Submitted)

Community Service Associates, a nonprofit based in Mount Vernon, feeds close to 60 people every night from Tuesday through Friday. Volunteers also prepare a lunch bag consisting of a sandwich, juice and a snack for guests to take home after dinner.

“I enjoy it. I have gotten to know so many people. These days when I go out, I often see people I've met in the soup kitchen and we’ll stop and chat,” said Vega. “You feel more a part of the community.”

The Food Bank for Westchester estimates that around 200,000 Westchester County residents — about 1 in 5 in the population — are hungry or at risk of hunger. Half of them seek emergency food regularly.

As part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week (Nov. 11-18), Volunteer New York! is sponsoring a series of projects in Westchester and Rockland counties. From November 13-16, three local schools, Sleepy Hollow High School, Alexander Hamilton High School (Elmsford) and Ossining High School will participate in a challenge to collect the most food and raise awareness through social media posts for local hunger relief.

“Helping in the soup kitchen makes me feel like I’m making a difference,” said Vega, who also volunteers at the Wartburg Nursing Home in Mount Vernon. “Plus, now that I am not working, I just don’t have an excuse not to do it.”

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is an engagement editor and member of the editorial board for The Journal News/lohud.com